I waited too long to get going on my bead project this time, because I made beads with a vengence, having quite a way to climb out of my irrational depression. I made beads for hours, for days. I made beads until my old nemisis, tendonitis, send my wrists back into their worn, 15-year-old black leather bowling braces.

But it worked. Just look at those colors. I had so much fun making beads that I couldn’t stop and now my wrists are too sore to string them. But that’s okay. Ice and ibuprofen and a few novels to tempt me from using my hands for a while and I’ll be fine.

But for now, observe and weep. Or, better yet, run over to your local craft, art, or hobby store and stock up on some polymer clay. All you need is a book from your public library on polymer clay bead-making, a few blocks of Sculpey or Fimo, some bamboo skewers for making holes. I also use a dedicated pasta maker, a toaster oven that I bought for $9 at a thrift store, a razor blade for clean slicing, and a block of floral foam to dry the final beads that I’ve painted with glossy varnish. (I bake my beads in the basement, as the fumes are not very breathable.)

So here they are, a bead bouquet drying on barbecue stakes. Wow. I am so cheered up. And whattaya know, all sorts of good things have begun happening. For example, I just got offered a blog job I never even applied for, and I took it. Stay tuned!

Click on an image to enlarge it.

To see some sample necklaces I make from beads like these, click here.